With their new album, Manchester rockers Oasis [ tickets ] may have finally unglued themselves from the Lennon-McCartney songbook.

True, Ringo's son Zak Starkey guests here on drums, but beyond some Beatle-esque mentions of sunshine and love, "Don't Believe the Truth" houses a wild mix of echoes of Stones, Velvet Underground and even Dylan, not to mention more recent British brethren. In another turn from previous albums--which rested almost completely on Noel Gallagher--brother Liam and even non-related band members had a hand in the writing.

But what's more amazing than the Gallaghers expanding their record collections or suddenly understanding the word "sharing" is--despite the pressure of delivering a once-again "much anticipated" album that had plenty of production chaos--they seem to be having an incredible time. Amid more familiar anthems and stomp-alongs come the great, pumping "Mucky Fingers," Liam's strummy and fitfully sexy "Love Like a Bomb," and the marching folk ballad "The Importance of Being Idle," a Noel song complete with Beach-Boy organs and whistles.

In everything here--including lyrics, where they actually show something like a sense of humor--the Gallaghers seem to be simply letting go: of expectations, (some) bravado and perhaps even rivalry, though you can't ignore Liam's unsubtle tune, "Guess God Thinks I'm Abel." It's almost as if they've realized they can be great band, and even more--without having to be that best damn band in all the world.